Paper-damping machine.



No. 727,373. PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.,

M. JOHN-SON.

PAPER DAMPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1898.

N0 MODEL.

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Attorneym: nomus PETERS co, PNUTO-LITNQ. wasuma'rou u. c.

UNTTnD STATES Patented May 5, 1903.

PATE T OFFICE.

MARTIN JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE MILWAUKEE PAPER DAMPENING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

PAPER- -DAM PING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 727,373, dated May 5, 1903.

Application filed February 15,1898- Serial No. 670,440. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Paper-Damping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for dampening paper, designed to be used in connection with printing machinery; also, to an attachment for embossing paper, adapted to be used in connection with the dampening-machine.

Theobjects of my invention are, first, 'to provide means for distributing the moisture uniformly in the paper; second, to provide for expelling the surplus moisture without wrinkling the paper, and, third, to provide means for embossing the paper, adapted to be used in connection with .the dampeningmachine. 7

In the following description reference is had to the accompaning drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section view of my invention with the supporting-frame omitted. Fig. 4 is adetail top view of the lower scraping-plate for separating the moist paper from the aprons. Fig. 5 is a detail side view of the means for adjusting the scraping-plates, the view given being drawn to show the adjusting device of the upper plate. Fig. 6 is a detail of the cord-belt conveyer, showing the cords separated and indicating the path of the paper by dotted lines.

Like parts are identified by the same reference-numerals throughout the several views.

Briefly stated,my invention includes among its principal features a water-tank and a cord-belt conveyer for conveying the sheets of paper therethrough, an apron conveyer for stretching the-sheets, insuring an adequate distribution of the Water therein, and preventing the paper from wrinkling, a set of water-expelling rollers actuating the aprons and cooperating with the latter in expelling the water from the sheets without injury thereto, and (when it is desired to use the same) a set of embossing-rollers, between which the paper is fed from the aprons.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is a supporting-frame, 2 a water-tank removably supported in the frame by elbow hanger-arms 3, and 4 isa feed-platform upon which the sheets 5 are stored preparatory to their passage through the machine. Supported by an arm 6 at each side of the machine is a V- shaped roller-supporting bracket 7, the lower angle of which extends into the Water-tank, as best shown in Fig. 3. The rollers 8 9 10 and 11, 12, and 13 of' the cord-belt conveyer are journaled in these brackets and are preferably provided with annular grooves (not shown in the drawings) in which the beltcords 14 and 15 of the conveyer are engaged, thus keeping the cords properly spaced. The cords 14 run over the rollers 8, 9, and 12 and under the rollers 10, and the cords 15 run over the rollers 11 and 12 and under the rollers 10 and 13, as best shown in Fig- 6. The rollers 16, 17, 18, and 19 of the apron conveyer are located in the adjustable bearings 20, as best shown in Fig. 1, and the aprons 21 and 22 are composed of rubber belting, preferably formed with a canvas surface, the upper apron 21 being shorter than the lower apron 22, leaving a portion of the upper surface of the latter exposed to form a moving shelf upon which the wet sheets are discharged from the cordbelt conveyer. If desired, the upper apron may be omitted, as the adhesion of the wet sheet to the lower apron is usually sufficient to hold the sheet in a stretched position and prevent it from wrinkling. The rollers 16 and 18 are arranged and adjusted to bear directly upon each other with suflicient force to expel the surplus moisture from the sheets, as hereinafter explained, and underneath the aprons I have provided a drip-pan 23 to catch the expelled Water. This maybe supported from the frame in any convenient manner.

In order to prevent the sheets from adhering to the aprons after passing between the water-expelling rollers 16 and 18, I have provided elastic scraping plates, preferably formed in sections 24., which are rigidly attached to rods 26, running transversely of the machine-frame and supported near each end by brackets 27. At each end the rods are formed with bent arms 28, through which an adj listing-screw 29 passes, which bears upon the frame, as best shown in Fig. 5. The scraping-plates bear upon the aprons, and their pressure upon the same is regulated by adjusting the screws 29 to lock the plate-supporting rods 26. The scraping plates are preferably curved, as shown, and the lower plate sections provided. with projecting tongues 30, which by holding the paper up from the plate prevent it from adhering thereto.

31 and 32 are the embossing-rollers, supported from the framel by means ofabracket 33. The lower roller is preferably made of or covered with soft rubber, and the upper roller is made of metal or other rigid material surfaced to produce the desired impression upon the paper. The upper roller 31 is located in vertically-adjustable bearings 34 and when not in use is raised out, of contact with the roller 32 or removed from the bracket. With this construction it is also obvious that rollers with surfaces of various styles may be used interchangeably in place of the roller 31.

35 is an inclined receiving-platform upon which the paper is received when discharged from the machine, and 36 is an adjustable stop for supporting the sheets at their lower edge.

Motion is communicated from the source of power to the rollers 16 and 18 and the apronsthrongh the belt 37, pulley 39, and gearing, (indicated at 4:4 in Fig. 2.) Motion is also communicated to the cord-belt conveyer from the shaft of the roller 18 through the sprocket-wheel 40, chain 41, wheel 42, roller 11, and gearingconnecting roller 11 with the roller 8, as indicated at 43 in Fig. 2. The embossing-rollers 31 and 32 are connected by gearing, (indicated at 46 in Fig. 2,) to which motion is communicated from the shaft of the roller 18 through the gear-wheels 4. 1 and 45.

In operation the paper is fed between the rollers 8 and 11 of the cord-belt conveyer and carried by the cords under the surface of the water and then up and discharged from be tween the rollers 9 and 12 upon the exposed surface of the apron 22 and drawn between the aprons 21 and 22. The aprons run a little faster than the cords, so as to stretch the sheets and take up the expansion, thus preventing them from wrinkling, the first pull upon the sheets being exerted by the exposed surface of the lower apron 22, upon which the sheet will yield sufficiently to relieve the strain, so that the paper will not be torn. The moisture in the sheets is thoroughly distributed by the soaking received in the tank and the comparatively light pressure of the aprons, and the surplus water is then expelled by the pressure of the rollers 16 and 18, the sheets being in the meantime held stretched and in a fiat position between the aprons, and thus prevented from creasing or wrinkling when subjected to the pressure of the rollers. The sheets discharged from between the rollers 16 and 18 pass over the roller 32 and drop upon the platform 35.

When the paper is to be embossed, the roller 31 is adjusted to bear upon the roller 32 and the paper passed between them with the front or print side down. When it is not desired to dampen the paper preparatory to embossing it, the paper is fed directly between the aprons and the cord conveyer is not used.

When the machine is used for dampening paper, the tank 2 must be frequently removed and cleaned. This is accomplished by turning the elbow-hangers until the arms which support the tank are removed from beneath the same, the tank being meanwhile supported by hand. The supporting elbow-arms being withdrawn from beneath the tank, the latter is then lowered and cleaned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a water-tank, a conveyer for conveying sheets of paper into and through the water in the tank, a conveyerapron adapted to receive the wet sheets as they are discharged from the tank by said conveyer, and means for expelling the surplus moisture from the paper, while the same is supported and held by the conveyer, substantially for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a water-tank, acouveyer for conveying sheets of paper into and through the water in the tank, a conveyerapron adapted to receive the wet sheets as they are discharged from the tank by said conveyer, and means for expelling the surplus moisture from the paper, said conveyerapron being actuated at a more rapid speed than the conveyer of the water-tank, substantially for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of awater-tank, a cord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank, and adapted to convey sheets of paper into and through the water therein, an apron conveyer adapted to receive the wet sheets discharged from the cord conveyer, and means for expelling the surplus moisture from the paper, while the same is supported and held by the apron conveyer, substantially for the purpose set forth. 4. The combination ofa water-tank, means for conveying sheetsof paper into and through the water in the tank, a conveyer apron adapted to receive the wet sheets and to carry the same between it and a superposed apron of shorter length, and means for expelling the surplus moisture from the paper while interposed between said aprons, substantially for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a water-tank, a cord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank, and adapted to convey sheets of paper into and through the water therein, a

conveyer-apron adapted to receive the paper discharged from the cord conveyer, and to carry the same between it and a superposed apron of shorter length, means for expelling the surplus moisture from the paper while interposed between said aprons, and a platform for receiving the sheets discharged from between the aprons, substantially for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of a water-tank, a cord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank, and adapted to convey sheets of paper into and through the water therein, an apron conveyer adapted to receive the wet sheets discharged from the cord conveyer arranged to run at a speed slightly in excess of that of the cord conveyer, and means for expelling the surplus moisture from the paper, While the same is supported and held by the apron conveyer, substantially for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of a water-tank, a cord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank and adapted to convey sheets of paper into and through the water therein, an apron conveyer adapted to receive the \vet sheets discharged from the cord conveyer, and a set of water-expelling rollers adapted to expel the surplus moisture from the sheets while the same are held by the conveyerapron, substantially for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of a water-tank, a cord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank and adapted to convey sheets of paper into and through the water therein, an apron conveyer adapted to receive the wet sheets discharged from the cord conveyer, and a set of water-expelling rollers located in adjustable bearings, and adapted to expel the surplus moisture from the sheets while the same are held by the conveying-apron, substantially for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of a water-tank, a cord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank and adapted to convey sheets of paper into and through the Water therein, an apron conveyer adapted to receive the wet sheets discharged from the cord conveyer, a set of water-expelling rollers adapted to expel the surplus moisture from the sheets while the same are held by the conveying-apron, and an inclined receiving-platform provided with an adjustable stop, substantially for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination of a water-tank, a cord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank and adapted to convey sheets of paperinto and through the water therein, an apron conveyer adapted to receive the Wet sheets discharged from the cord conveyer, a set of water-expelling rollers adapted to expel the surplus moisture from the sheets, while the same are held by the conveyingapron,and adjustable scraping devices adapted to prevent the paper from adhering to the aprons, substantially for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination of awater-tank, acord conveyer depressed near its center into said water-tank, and adapted to convey sheets of paper into and through the water therein, an apron conveyer adapted to receive the wet sheets discharged from the cord conveyer, a set of water-expelling rollers adapted to expel the surplus moisture from the sheets while the same are held by the conveyingapron, and sectional scraping-plates arranged to bear elastically upon the aprons, and to prevent the paper from adhering to the latter, substantially for the purpose set forth.

12. In a paperdampening machine, the combination of a supporting-frame, a watertanksupported thereby,apair ofcord-supportingrollers located near the front and rear edges of the tank, an intermediate pair of rollers located in the water of said tank, a set of cord belts disposed upon the upper rollers of said 'pairs, and a second set of cord belts disposed upon the lower rollers of said pairs, said rollers and cords being arranged and adapted to engage sheets of paper between them and convey the same beneath the Water in said tank to expose the maximum surface of the paper to the direct action of the water in the tank, and to deliver the Wet sheets therefrom, together with means for expelling the surplus moisture from the sheets after passing from between said cords, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a paperdampening machine provided with an apron conveyer, a rod supported at the discharge end of said conveyer, one or more scraping-plates supported upon said rod and arranged to bear upon the apron, and a series of raised tongues projecting rearwardly from the upper surface of said plate or plates, and adapted to prevent the paper from adhering to the plate, substantially for the purpose set forth.

14. In a paperdampening machine, the combination with a suitable frame, of a Water tank supported thereby, two pairs of cord supporting rollers located above and near the front and rear sides respectively of said tank, a pair of rollers located in said tank between and below the other two pairs of rollers, two sets of cord belts so arranged upon said rollers as to engage and convey sheets of paper between them beneath the water in said tank to expose the maximum surface of paper to the direct action of the water in the tank, and means for expelling surplus water from the wet sheets after passing from between said cords, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this 1st day of February, 1898.

. MARTIN JOHNSON.

\Vitnesses:

JAs. B. ERWIN, Lnvnnnrr 0. WHEELER. 

